Cotton T-Shirt?

[pooks]

Okay, I know this is a bad idea, so while I'm working myself up to go attack the heat and ride --

My first pair of road shorts are here and I love the way they feel. (I'm sure they give me diaper butt but I don't care at this point.)

However, my embarrassment comes not from the size of my *** but my stomach. Gack. As an apple, I carry much weight in front and I hate it. I'm tempted to put on a cotton t-shirt that will be loose and hang down over it a bit.

That's really a bad idea, isn't it?

I need to get a jersey that isn't so tight so I won't feel so self conscious!

[Tater]

Cotton loves to hold in moisture and not let it go! Then there is always the possibility of the darn thing chaffing you under the arms. Can you find some sort of wicking shirt that will do what you need? I just found some wicking tee-shirts for the DF at Old Navy for eight dollars a piece. He works outside and was complaining about the heat and how much he sweats in tee-shirts. I got him four of these shirts and he lives in them! Good luck in finding something that works for you!

[Grog]

If you don't intend to ride for very long, a cotton tshirt will be fine.

You could try to get a wicking tshirt for longer rides eventually...

[mimitabby]

Okay, I know this is a bad idea, so while I'm working myself up to go attack the heat and ride --
As an apple, I carry much weight in front and I hate it. I'm tempted to put on a cotton t-shirt that will be loose and hang down over it a bit.

That's really a bad idea, isn't it?

I need to get a jersey that isn't so tight so I won't feel so self conscious!

hey Girl, try the cotton teeshirt!! if it doesn't work out you can try something different. Sometimes I wear cotton on rides. Get a real light weight one. can only hold SO much moisture, you know?
There's NO LAW that says you can't have a good ride without wearing spandex everywhere. Some of my bike jerseys feel positively icky!

[pooks]

Good point. I have a microfiber wicking t-shirt but it was made as a base-layer for winter wear, so I'm not sure that would work. But there's an Old Navy nearby.

Thanks.

[Grog]

Good point. I have a microfiber wicking t-shirt but it was made as a base-layer for winter wear, so I'm not sure that would work. But there's an Old Navy nearby.

I see no reason why something labelled "winter layer" wouldn't keep on wicking just because it's summer...

Remember you don't always need to buy new stuff. And as mimitabby says, just try it, and if it doesn't work, try something else!!

[pooks]

I guess I'll try it. It seems like I tried wearing it in the summer before and it felt hot instead of cool, but maybe that was my imagination.

if all else fails, I'll give myself an all over squirt of water.

Today's will be a very short ride, anyway!

[Geonz]

Yea, yea, yea, I've heard all that "cotton is rotten" folderol. 9 days out of 10, maybe more, I'm in A COTTON T-SHIRT. When I sweat, it stays wet and then the moisture evaporates. Evaporation cools. (And I look like a person who doesn't need no stinkin' jersey, that whole reverse snobbery thing... if you look like you're not even trying, then you can't fail, right?)

You're not doing a century, even if it feels like it in the heat :-)

[MomOnBike]

NEW RULE

If the heat is over 100, you're doing a Century!

Ahem...

Wicking t-shirts are great, but I have cotton t-shirts. So I wear cotton, mostly. I'm trying to add wicking shirts as I can, but never seem to hit the sales. The cotton stuff comes off as soon as I get home, though, it DOES get wet.

[Kimmyt]

I loathe cotton t-shirts. Unfortunately , all the cool events I take part in give out free cotton t-shirts, so I have a whole drawer of them that I rarely wear. I may consider wearing one if the temp is appropriate (early fall weather is the most ideal, for me) but I hate how I sweat and the pits get discolored and the shirt sticks to me.

Check out Target or even Walmart in their exercise section. I got a nice t-shirt style wicking shirt at Target for something like $12 which isn't bad. I actually bought it because one day I had only brought my long sleeve jersey to work and it was way too hot to ride in it. I just rarely use it because I prefer to have something with pockets, since my compact frame bike has a very small frame-hung bikebag which won't fit some of the most important things (like car keys and $$ for ice cream rides).

Also, not all jerseys need to fit skin tight. The skin tight thing seems to me ideal if you're racing, but if you're not worried about time then whats a little extra flaping in the wind gonna do to harm you?

K.

[pooks]

Well, believe me, if my cotton t-shirt starts making me feel hotter -- it WILL get wet. I'll douse myself with cold water from my polar bottle.

Women and children, hide your eyes! It ain't pretty!

[Geonz]

One of the mroe insightful responses to Hurricane Katrina 'round here was somebody who sent emails asking for people to gather up those athletic event t-shirts they'd never worn... there's gotta be uses for 'em :-)

<going back on diet now... but to do list actually SHRANK yesterday and today... minor personal victory... )

[bcipam]

Terry makes some nice plus size jerseys that tend to fit loosery than regular jerseys. Also try mountain bike jerseys - they tend to be cut more casually and loose.

Also - many department stores now carry "fitness wear" these are basically tshirts made in various wicking materials (usually CoolMax). I bought some for spin class and like them so much also use them while riding.

I was talking with a friend last night about he old days when I only wore cotton tshirts. At the start of the ride they fit fine but the end, they were 4 sizes larger and went ot my knees due to all the sweat collected. It definitely pays to wear wicking material.

[GLC1968]

Check out LL Bean for cool max t-shirts for about $20. I started with two of these in the sleeveless style when I started biking. I've since had to move on to jerseys with back pockets for longer rides, but I now use these t's for yard work and/or tennis! They are awesome and totally feel like cotton...

The first three items on this page are all cool max:
http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/sto...at=ssdpa500653

You may also be able to find similar stuff at a local TJ Maxx or Marshalls or some place similar.

[Jones]

I get t-shirt look wicking workout wear in the mens athletic wear department at Target. I think I pay $17-$18 they work on the bike and the run.
Jones